[ EDITORIAL ]

Tuition Rule: Fairness In Veteran Education

Published: Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at 12:13 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at 12:13 a.m.

After sending our all-volunteer military to fight two wars in the past decade, the least that we can do is treat our service members right when they return.

Unfortunately, aspects of the Post-9/11 GI Bill create an undue burden for veterans. The measure covers in-state tuition for veterans who served since the Sept. 11 attacks, or private tuition of about $18,000 a year.

However, if a veteran attending a public university is deemed to be an out-of-state resident, the person must pay the additional cost out of pocket.

MILITARY REALITY

Residency can be a murky issue for veterans because of the nature of military life. Veterans in Florida face a higher hurdle than in other states in proving their residency, says John Gebhardt, a veterans advocate at the University of Florida and Santa Fe College in Gainesville.

A Florida native who enters the military here still must show three documents that establish residency if that veteran returns for school, he said. A veteran who was stationed in another state might have voted or gotten a driver's license there, complicating that effort.

A state university has little leeway on the residency issue because of state Education Department guidelines, Gebhardt said. That means he's put in the absurd situation of advising veterans to attend a private college to establish their residency before transferring to a state university.

That way, the student veteran can avoid paying the out-of-pocket costs of attending a state university immediately as a nonresident student. In-state undergraduates are paying about $6,140 in tuition and fees this academic year, while out-of-state undergraduates pay about $22,000 more.

Nine states have passed legislation to provide in-state tuition rates to veterans, regardless of how long they've lived there, reports Student Veterans of America. It saves money for the federal government to pay in-state tuition rather than pricier private rates.

It also provides an economic benefit for cities in Florida to attract veterans. They spend their GI Bill benefits at local institutions as well as pay all the associated costs of living here.

"It's a huge impact on Gainesville. We should want a few hundred more of them here," Gebhardt said. "The state of Florida should want all they can get. It's economic development in its truest form."

That makes sense.

However, the best reason to support the change is an issue of fairness for veterans. After serving their country, making it easier for them to pursue higher education is the least that can be done.

<p>After sending our all-volunteer military to fight two wars in the past decade, the least that we can do is treat our service members right when they return.</p><p>Unfortunately, aspects of the Post-9/11 GI Bill create an undue burden for veterans. The measure covers in-state tuition for veterans who served since the Sept. 11 attacks, or private tuition of about $18,000 a year.</p><p>However, if a veteran attending a public university is deemed to be an out-of-state resident, the person must pay the additional cost out of pocket.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>MILITARY REALITY</strong></p><p>Residency can be a murky issue for veterans because of the nature of military life. Veterans in Florida face a higher hurdle than in other states in proving their residency, says John Gebhardt, a veterans advocate at the University of Florida and Santa Fe College in Gainesville.</p><p>A Florida native who enters the military here still must show three documents that establish residency if that veteran returns for school, he said. A veteran who was stationed in another state might have voted or gotten a driver's license there, complicating that effort.</p><p>A state university has little leeway on the residency issue because of state Education Department guidelines, Gebhardt said. That means he's put in the absurd situation of advising veterans to attend a private college to establish their residency before transferring to a state university.</p><p>That way, the student veteran can avoid paying the out-of-pocket costs of attending a state university immediately as a nonresident student. In-state undergraduates are paying about $6,140 in tuition and fees this academic year, while out-of-state undergraduates pay about $22,000 more.</p><p>Nine states have passed legislation to provide in-state tuition rates to veterans, regardless of how long they've lived there, reports Student Veterans of America. It saves money for the federal government to pay in-state tuition rather than pricier private rates.</p><p>It also provides an economic benefit for cities in Florida to attract veterans. They spend their GI Bill benefits at local institutions as well as pay all the associated costs of living here.</p><p>"It's a huge impact on Gainesville. We should want a few hundred more of them here," Gebhardt said. "The state of Florida should want all they can get. It's economic development in its truest form."</p><p>That makes sense.</p><p>However, the best reason to support the change is an issue of fairness for veterans. After serving their country, making it easier for them to pursue higher education is the least that can be done.</p>